


Rise and Grind

by NotEvenCloseToStraight



Series: Valentines Day Fics! [9]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Awkward Crush, Beefcake Bucky, Bucky wears short shorts, Clint Barton & Tony Stark Friendship, Customer Bucky, Flirting, Funny, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Too much coffee, WinterIronHawk, barista clint, barista tony, they are actual idiots, valentines day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:28:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29413410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotEvenCloseToStraight/pseuds/NotEvenCloseToStraight
Summary: Tony and Clint run a coffee shop.Bucky is their favorite beefcake customer.The usual shenanigans.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton/Tony Stark
Series: Valentines Day Fics! [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1266017
Comments: 19
Kudos: 272





	Rise and Grind

“Hey-oh! I’ve got a half-caf caramel macchiato, extra caramel extra macho for the beefcake in the wetsuit!” Tony topped the drink with a swirl of whip cream and pushed it to the ‘pick up’ counter. “That’s you Raul! Come get your damn drink!” 

“Easy does it, Tony.” Raul leaned over the coffee bar and outright ogled the pretty barista, from the top of Tony’s wild curls down to where his floral apron ended two inches below his rather risky short shorts. “I’m just appreciating the view.” 

“Those who appreciate the view need to also appreciate the tip jar!” Clint hollered from the cash register. “Order up Tones! Extra large mocha breve, give me a shot of vanilla and a jiggle of hazelnut and top it with some cinnamon!” 

“Blond or brunette?” 

“Brunette!” 

“One dark chocolate heart attack special up and at’em.” Tony caught the cup from the other barista and jammed the button on the grinder so he had fresh beans. “Must be for you, Martha May Who-v-ay. You’re the only person I know who can drink this stuff and not gain an ounce!” 

“It goes to my ass, and you damn well know it.” Martha May’s name wasn’t Marthy May at all, it was _Hope_ , but she let the cute coffee maker call her just about anything he wanted. “Here Clint, I absolutely appreciate both the view _and_ tip jar.” 

She stuffed several dollar bills in the tip jar and Clint-- tall, blond, utterly ridiculous in his cut off crop top muscle tank and cargo shorts with way too many pockets-- blew her a kiss. “See? That is the type of customers we like here at Rise and Grind! Who’s next! I know you beach bums need your caffeine, get up here!” 

The beach side coffee shop _Rise and Grind_ was the most popular place on the boardwalk, packed with customers from the moment they opened at 5 am to when they closed at 2pm and the crowd was only _partly_ due to the truly excellent coffee. The other perk of _Rise and Grind_ was co-owners and co-baristas Tony and Clint who were the actual embodiment of shenanigans with their wholly immodest clothes, their flirty smiles and thinly veiled come ons, the way they danced to the music and clearly drank way too much of the high test caffeine they sold out the front door. 

The boys were just professional enough to never have a violation on their inspections, just hilarious enough to take the health inspector out on dates, and just wholesome enough to make even the fussy morning power walkers in their neon suits and hand weights smile. 

Plus, _Rise and Grind_ definitely meant rise and work, it sort of meant rise and make coffee and it _definitely_ was an innuendo wrapped in a double entendre wrapped in a knowing smirk from both Tony and Clint whenever someone asked why they named their shop _that_. 

Good times.

“Iced chai tea, but this cutie looks a little sweaty so why don’t we blend it, throw some whip cream on top and tell them to get the hell out?” 

“On it!” 

“Double espresso! Keep it dark and smooth and put it one one’a them cutesy cups we keep breaking!” 

“On--” a cup crashed and the patrons all politely clapped. “--it!” 

“Tony! Someone wants your number!” 

“Give them yours and tell them we only eat fancy steak and drink cheap beer!” 

Yeah, _Rise and Grind_ was a fun place, high energy and fast paced, good coffee, great baristas and it certainly didn’t hurt that the boys were so attractive. 

Certainly didn't hurt that their _clients_ were so attractive either. 

“Heyo, beefcake warning.” Clint muttered as he passed Tony behind the counter. “Our favorite hottie body is arriving in five, four, three, two--” 

“Heya fellas, how’s it going this morning?” Bucky Barnes was six feet and a few inches of everything beach beautiful, two hundred and some change pounds of a whole lotta ridiculously gorgeous, probably...eight... inches of something _interesting_ packed into those weirdly fitted running shorts that usually clung to every unfortunate bump on people’s bodies except on Bucky nothing was an _unfortunate_ bump at all. 

This was the beach and apparently Clint and Tony’s personal purgatory because Bucky Barnes was two-four-six pieces of insanely hot abdomen muscles that didn’t even seem to own a shirt, biceps that put Clint’s arms to shame, and the sort of big, rolling shoulders that made someone Tony’s size seriously contemplate climbing the guy like the proverbial tree and making a nest on those big shoulders directly in front of Bucky’s gorgeous mouth. 

Hell, Clint was every bit as tall as Bucky and _he_ wanted to sit on those shoulders too. 

When Bucky Barnes stepped through the door, _Rise and Grind_ took on a different meaning all together. 

“Hey Bucky Bear.” Clint had given up even meeting Bucky’s gaze anymore, and kept his eyes centered somewhere just above the tanned man tiddies. “Your usual?” 

“Same as always.” Bucky stretched and Clint almost whined, but managed to hide it with a smile as he pulled a cup and scribbled-- well nothing, he scribbled _nothing_ because they both knew Bucky’s order and he couldn’t have written a word if his life depended on it. “Thanks, Clint.” 

“Uh-huh.” Clint tossed the cup at Tony, heard the dull thunk where it bounced off a still staring and rather unaware head and rolled onto the floor. “Tony? Tony!” 

“Sorry.” Tony snapped out of it, readjusted his apron a little looser around the front of his shorts and got to work. “Sludge cup. Black coffee, double shot of espresso, no room for cream. Same as always, huh Bucky Baby?” 

“Sure thing, sweet thing.” Bucky winked and meandered over to flip through the magazines, bent over to pick on up and missed the squeal of pain as Tony poured hot coffee right over his hand. 

“Keep it together, doofus.” Clint grabbed a rag and mopped the mess up. “If you burn your hand every time Bucky comes in, we’re actually gonna have to get health insurance.” 

“Mm-hmm.” Tony batted Clint’s hand away and inclined his head towards the magazine rack where Bucky was still bent over, ass up and thighs tensed and snug bike shorts just so so _snug_ from this angle. “Do you think he knows? Do you think he knows he’s this hot and is teasing us? Cos what else is the possible reason for coming in and offending my delicate Victorian sensibilities?” 

“Delicate Victorian sensibilities.” Clint snorted and smacked Tony in the ass. “You’re bonering up so hard right now, your short shorts have lost an inch of length.” 

“Uh huh and your apron is looking a little tented.” The mouthy brunette tossed back. “So which one of us is really the--” 

“Coffee ready?” Bucky popped up by the counter and Tony shrieked in surprise, then shrieked all over again when Clint just shoved him in the back room and spun around to hand Bucky his cup with a big smile. 

“Here you go, man. Same time tomorrow?” 

“Same time tomorrow.” Bucky pulled out a few dollars and tucked it in the tip jar. “See ya fellas.” 

The door to _Rise and Grind_ tinkled as their favorite beefcake headed back out to the sunshine, and after a minute Tony emerged from the store room, fuzz in his hair from landing in the pile of towels, a frown and a swift kick in the shins for his partner for shoving him.

“Ow!” Clint would have kicked Tony back, but honestly the barista was pint sized and Clint wasn’t in the habit of picking fights with little guys. “What was that for!” 

“You shoved me in the backroom!” 

“You poured coffee on yourself and then screamed when the customer came to get it!” 

“I was twitterpated! Bucky’s hot!” 

“You’re a moron, and yeah he is hot.” Clint ran his fingers through Tony’s hair to pick out the fuzz. “No wonder you can’t get dates, Tony. You got the worlds worst poker face when you’re attracted to someone. Do what I do and just stare at Ye Olde Tiddy until the guy leaves. Works for me.” 

“I feel like even his nipples turn me on.” Tony said seriously, then broke out laughing when Clint made an agreeable noise. “But okay, I’ll work on the screaming. I’ll try the tiddy trick.” 

“It works, bro.” 

***********

The tiddy trick most certainly did _not_ work, bro, and the next time Bucky wore rather distracting shorts and bent over a rather distracting amount of time, it was Clint who ended up staring and almost burning his hand on a steam wand while cleaning it. 

“Take ten to twenty percent off the top there, blondie.” Tony emptied out their already full tip jar and snuck looks at Bucky’s ass while counting off the bills, wondering how many ones he’d need to toss at the guy before he got to see some butt cheek. “Don’t you know if you stroke hot wands without protection, all the white stuff inside will shoot out and burn you?” 

Bucky choked on his drink, the other customers eyes went _very_ wide before they outright cackled with laughter and Clint turned fifty shades of fucking embarrassed before doing the dive into the store room to escape the moment. 

“Don’t worry.” Tony winked at the customer and even managed a wink at Bucky. “His hand’s fine. Not the first time he’s tangled with a steam wand, won’t be the last.” 

************

Thursdays were meant for throwback music, which meant the play list in _Rise and Grind_ was some manic mix of Tony’s favorite rock bands and Clint’s funky funk music. It was also half price pastry day and close to Valentines Day so the little shop was full to busting with customers who had come for the heart shaped, pink frosted pastries and for the baristas singing and dancing behind the counter. 

“Non fat latte, no foam!” 

“Holla!” 

“Cappuccino, extra dry!” 

“You know it!” 

“Iced mocha, extra whip!” 

“Blond or brunette?” 

“Blond!” 

“White chocolate iced mocha, extra whip coming up!” 

The morning rush died down close to eleven am, just in time for Tony and Clint to set new drip coffee brewing, to wipe down counters and restock all the sugar and cream, to settle a rock-paper-scissors challenge over who got to pick the next song and to pound a few cups of caffeine themselves. 

They were cleaned and caffeinated and on their phones paying a few middle of the month bills when the door chimed again and every one’s favorite big boy wandered in. 

“Heya fellas.” 

“Hey Bucky bear.” Tony finished paying a bill and looked up with a bright smile, then _down_ with a cocked eyebrow when he saw the worlds best tushy encased in actual Hawaiian print shorts, then looked back up again with a flush when he realized he was staring. “You in for your usual?” 

“It looks good in here.” Bucky put his hands on his hips-- honestly just _rude_ considering how it highlighted how big his hands were and flexed his arms a little bit-- and rotated to take in the obnoxious Valentines Day decor and pink/red streamers. “You guys getting in the holiday spirit?” 

“Hell yeah.” Clint winked and unlocked the register to pull out the morning’s cash for the safe. “Come by on Sunday and you’ll get to see me in my full Cupid get up. Diaper and adorable wings and everything.” 

“Now usually I’d be against seeing a grown man in a diaper--” Bucky laughed and Tony put his hand to his chest like his heart was going to stop. “-- but I think I’ll make an exception for you, Clint.” 

“Uh--” Clint was not expecting Bucky to flirt back at him, and the blond did the physical equivalent of blue screening for a minute. “I mean-- I--” 

“Hey, while Clint’s brain is rebooting, how about I get your coffee.” Tony was only slightly less thrown by Bucky’s response and he managed to ready the espresso for Bucky’s normal sludge cup. “You want it big or extra big?” 

“I dunno.” Bucky leaned against the counter and plucked a straw from the display, wrapped his tongue around it in a thoroughly distracting way and finished, “I like petite little things too. Fit in my mouth better.” 

Ten dollars worth of change scattered on the floor when Clint dropped the till bag and Tony turned _very_ wide eyes towards Bucky, who just kept innocently chewing on the straw and watching the espresso cup fill up. 

“Y’know I was actually thinking about trying something new this time.” he said mildly. “What do you guys call out when people want a mocha?” 

“Um.” Tony gulped, then gulped again. “Blond or brunette? It means white or dark chocolate but you know-- saying it like that makes people laugh.” 

“Yeah, sugar.” Bucky’s smile was almost filthy. “It’s real cute. Basically askin’ people if they want to taste Clint or Tony in their coffee? Cute. _Tasty_.” 

“Good god.” Clint finally managed to pick up the coins and tuck them away in the safe. “What uh-- what kind of drink you want today, Bucky?” 

“ _Mmmm_.” Bucky turned to look at Clint thoughtfully, dark hair falling into his pale eyes as he looked the barista up and down, his position over the counter arching his back and highlighting the fact that his shorts were _very_ tight. “I think I’ll have a mocha.” 

Clint and Tony exchanged uncertain looks, had an entire conversation with just their eyebrows and finally Tony asked slow, careful-- “B-blond or brunette?” 

“Hmm.” Bucky made another one of those humming noises and straightened up, pushed his hair back from his face and planted big hands on the counter, spread his fingers wide in an oddly specific equivalent of _man spreading_ and looked first at Clint, then at Tony with a devastating tilt to his lips--

“I’d like take a few pumps in each of those options.” and then, “Oops. I meant, a few pumps _of_ each. Think we can make that happen?” 

“I-- I-- I--” 

_Aw hell._

************

Bucky left a few minutes later with drink in hand, a grin on his face, and two absolutely speechless baristas behind the counter. 

“Oh my god.” Natasha-- running partner, Brazilian jujitsu instructor and all around bad ass-- peeked inside the shop and then burst out laughing. “Bucky, did you break them? What did you do?!” 

“Nothin’ they didn’t deserve.” Bucky grunted, sipped at the drink and made a pleased noise. “This ain’t half bad. I might get it again.” 

“Tell me again why they deserve to be--” another peek. “-- rendered absolutely stupid for the remainder of the day?” 

“Serves them right for always staring at my dick and never once asking for my number.” Bucky decided and Natasha cackled with glee. “I don’t wear these shorts cos they’re comfortable. I mean _damn_ , the least the fellas could do is compliment my package.”

“The _least_ they could do?” 

“All I’m sayin’ is if I don’t have a blond and brunette in my bed for Valentines Day, I’m gonna fucking riot.” he decided. “I’m running out of stretchy shorts for them to stare at and my ass can only take so much floral print. Something’s gotta give.” 

“You could ask for _their_ number.” she pointed out. “Right?” 

“Nah.” he shrugged. “I gotta play at least a little hard to get.” 

“This is playing hard to get?” 

Bucky just _looked_ at her and Natasha put both hands up. “Okay, well you should know me and Sam have a running wager on this whole thing.” 

“Yep. Sounds about right.”

***********

 **Fic Notes** : 

> _I love buddy baristas Ironhawk._
> 
> _The sheer amount of stupidity in this fic is excellent._
> 
> _Also, if I could Art, I would Art Bucky in floral running shorts. Fucking holla._


End file.
